Ryanair update as rival ‘low cost’ airline expands in Spain | Travel News | Travel

Ryanair faces fresh competition in Spain as a budget airline expands its presence – potentially offering travellers greater choice for cheap flights.

The carrier is reportedly capitalising on tensions between Ryanair and Spanish officials over airport charges and taxes. The airline has cut or threatened to cut back services to regional airports like Santander and Zaragoza along with connections to the Canary Islands.

Now Wizz Air is pledging to establish a stronger presence in the market, with plans to launch its first hubs in Madrid and Valencia, according to AS.

Ryanair has historically had a strong presence in Spain’s budget airline sector, but escalating airport charges have created friction in recent times.

Spanish media outlets report that Wizz Air, the Hungarian low-cost operator, is poised to establish two operational bases this November, capitalising on the current climate. The Valencia hub will begin operations on 2nd November, deploying two modern Airbus A321neo aircraft.

From this location, the carrier will service 23 separate routes across eight nations. This development will boost the airline’s Valencia airport capacity by 76 per cent, making 3.6 million seats available.

The same arrangement will become operational in Madrid the subsequent day, 3rd November. Services from the capital will include additional routes and destinations (27 and 12, respectively), marking a 48 per cent capacity increase at Madrid airport with 4.8 million seats on offer, local media says.

Throughout its 22-year history, the airline has transported over 15 million passengers in Spain. With the establishment of its inaugural Spanish bases, Wizz Air will launch eleven new domestic routes and five international connections.

These include flights from Madrid to Asturias, Santiago de Compostela, Palma de Mallorca, or Pisa, and from Valencia to Santander, Bilbao, Asturias, Brasov, or Naples.

József Váradi, the company’s chief executive, expressed that they are “delighted” to open their first bases in Spain. Wizz Air seeks to boost its capacity by 39% by 2026, aiming for operations at 21 Spanish airports with a total of 200 routes.

The launch of the base entails the opening of seven new routes from Valencia and marks the airline’s entry into the domestic market. The first aircraft will begin operations on November 2, 2026, launching routes to Asturias, Brașov, Santander, and Santiago.

A second aircraft will join the fleet on December 14, facilitating connections to Bilbao, Naples, and Palma de Mallorca. Altogether, seven new routes will be introduced, with five serving domestic destinations.

• Asturias: 5 flights per week-Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays-starting November 2.
• Brasov: 3 flights per week-Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays-starting November 3.
• Bilbao: daily flight, starting December 14.
• Naples: daily flight, starting December 14.
• Palma de Mallorca: daily flight, starting December 14.
• Santander: 2 flights per week-Tuesdays and Saturdays-starting November 3.
• Santiago de Compostela: 4 flights per week-Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays-starting November 2.

This development follows Ryanair’s announcement of a scaled-back winter timetable, attributed to escalating fuel expenses linked to the war in the Middle East, with potential fare increases on the horizon.

The Irish airline announced on Wednesday its intention to operate fewer flights this winter due to high fuel costs caused by the war in the Middle East, while warning of possible increases in ticket prices if the surge continues. The company considers it “sensible” to reduce its fuel requirements, the price of which is not guaranteed “during the unprofitable winter season”, Ryanair said in a statement.

Europe’s busiest airline by passenger numbers has consequently lowered its passenger volume target for the financial year ending April 2027 to 214 million, reduced from the originally projected 216 million.